EFFORTS to prop up karate promotion in Tanzania have garnered a boost, given that the Tanzania Sports Karate-Do Federation (TSKF) will, this weekend, coordinate a seminar in Dar es Salaam.

The TSKF secretary-general, Jerome Mhagama, stated that an international instructor, Shihan Ali Tarabeih, will conduct the seminar for two days at the Upanga Club. Tarabeih is, according to Mhagama, an accomplished karateka and the sport's former champion in Europe.

 The TSKF leader said the seminar will bring together karate players and officials from across the country at the venue, located close to the Indonesian and Japanese embassies in Tanzania.

 The seminar will, as per Mhagama, cover Kihon, Kumite, Kata, and refereeing clinic. Tarabeih, the seventh Dan holder, is currently serving as the World Shotokan Federation (WSF) Chairman and boasts 49 years of karate mastery. 

 Mhagama disclosed that Israel-based Tarabeih will first train the national karate team's players and later equip karate instructors with some knowledge. Tanzania's national karate team's players, Mhagama noted, will have an opportunity to learn a lot from Tarabeih, who is moreover the president of the WSF World Referees Committee.

 The TSKF official added that there are plenty of karate instructors leading numerous clubs across the country, adding that they will equally secure a valuable opportunity to get special training from the former karate champion.

 He said that many karate approaches are lately experiencing changes, noting that, for that matter, domestic instructors would have the platform to be exposed to the knowledge of changes in the technical aspects.

He revealed Tarabeih will further hold a seminar for karate judges and referees in the program, slated to get underway yesterday and come to an end the following day.

He requested karate stakeholders, players, and officials to duly feature in the two-day seminar, maintaining that the TSKF puts in a lot of effort to bring in international karate instructors.

Mhagama disclosed that the TSKF will foot the costs for the two-day seminar, which means it is a free-of-charge initiative for the participants.

Most international karate instructors, Mhagama noted, have extremely tight schedules during summer and, for that matter, domestic karate players and officials should fully exploit such chances when they are availed to them.

The TSKF leader said Tarabeih jetted in on Wednesday and met the federation officials the following day in preparation for the seminar.

Mhagama stated that the seminar will chiefly focus on karate players holding a brown belt and players at a higher level, given that the venue would not be able to accommodate players at all levels.